Bronze glory for Hubaida-Ale pair

Following their historic success at the Asian Para-Badminton Championships, India’s Abu Hubaida and Prem Kumar Ale continued their golden run, clinching a bronze medal in the WH1-WH2 category at the China Para Badminton International here on Saturday. The top-seeded Chinese pair, Mai Jianpeng and Qu Zimo, defeated the Indians 21-4, 21-10 in the semifinals, but Hubaida and Ale had already secured a podium finish with consistent performances in the group stage.

The Indian duo finished second in Group A with two wins against strong opposition. They began with a 21-6, 21-10 victory over Australia’s Nang Nguyen and Chinese Taipei’s Yu-Yu Ong, followed by a 21-10, 21-12 win against the Indian-Czech team of Haris Mythili Srikumar and Zbyněk Sýkora. Their only loss came against Japan’s Daiki Kajiwara and Keita Nishimura, who won 21-12, 21-9.

WH1-WH2 is a category for wheelchair-bound players, and the pair’s achievements mark a significant step in India’s para badminton journey. “Every match is a new challenge, and every medal is a reward for the hard work and support behind me. This bronze motivates me to push harder and represent India on bigger stages,” said Abu Hubaida.

Ranked world No. 4 in men’s doubles and Asia No. 3, Hubaida and Ale recently became India’s first wheelchair doubles medalists at the Asian Para-Badminton Championships. Hubaida, 31, from Lucknow, overcame polio to become a four-time national champion, while Ale, a former Army personnel, has competed internationally since 2014 following spinal cord injuries. Together, they form India’s most successful wheelchair doubles combination.

The China Para Badminton International 2025, a Grade 2 event on the BWF Para Badminton World Circuit, adds another feather to their cap and continues India’s rising presence in global para badminton.